Pentax Optio A10

CES 2006: Pentax today announces its flagship model and the introduction of a new range, with the Optio A10. Most noteworthy is the proprietary Shake Reduction system that Pentax is has included on this 3x zoom camera, which uses two internal gyro sensors to detect the amount of camera shake and compensates by shifting the CCD (the same as Konica Minolta). The A10 also boasts 8 megapixels, a 2.5-inch LCD, 15 scene modes and a 640x480-pixel 30fps movie function.

Press Release:

PENTAX Optio A10

The flagship model of our new Optio compact digital camera series featuring a proprietary Shake Reduction system for higher image quality.

January 4, 2006 - PENTAX Corporation is pleased to announce the launch of the new PENTAX Optio A10 compact digital camera with an 8.0 effective megapixel CCD, which combines a slim, lightweight, stylish design with a new proprietary Shake Reduction system for sharper quality images.

The Optio A10 represents a complete overhaul of our Optio compact digital camera series and will be the first model of our new high-end Optio A Series.

Major Features

1. High image qualityLoaded with a large CCD
The Optio A10 is equipped with a new large 1/1.8-inch CCD boasting 8.32 total megapixels. With about 1.6 times the light receiving area of our conventional compact camera CCDs, this large CCD offers advantages in superior tone reproduction, texture delineation, and noise reduction.

2. High-performance smc PENTAX zoom lens
Constructed from seven elements in five groups, including three double-sided aspherical lenses, the newly developed smc PENTAX zoom lens produces clear, high-contrast images. This design corrects effectively for spherical and other aberrations and our original coating cuts out ghosting and flare.

3. New ASIC*1

A new ASIC supplies the Optio A10 with dramatically more image-processing power. Thanks to the ASIC’s high-speed processing capability, the Optio A10 attains a higher level of tone reproduction and color correction based on enormous amounts of actual photo data.
*1: Application Specific Integrated Circuit

2. PENTAX’s original SR ( Shake Reduction) system

PENTAX’s newly designed Shake Reduction system really comes into its own in shooting conditions that are sensitive to camera shake, such as telephoto shots or indoor shots without a flash.

The SR ( Shake Reduction) mechanism:

(1) Two internal gyro sensors detect the amount of camera shake.
(2) A dedicated CPU quickly calculates the necessary correction from the amount of camera shake and the lens’s focusing data.
(3) A special proprietary mechanism moves the CCD based on the calculated correction to compensate for the camera shake.

3. Super-compact, lightweight body

We kept the Optio A10 as slim as possible despite completely redesigning the lens unit from the optical lens to the image sensor, enlarging the CCD, and adding an anti-vibration mechanism to absorb camera shake. Furthermore, by utilizing the PENTAX Sliding Lens System*2 and high-density mounting technology, we were able to squeeze the camera in a 88.5 x 54.5 x 23 mm (wxhxd), 125g body with an incredibly efficient layout that leaves almost no spaces between components.
*2: PENTAX’s proprietary lens system that offsets the central lens groups from the optical axis and houses the lenses in two separate stages in the lens barrel to reduce the overall lens length and thereby minimize the body depth.

4. Elegant, stylish design

The beautiful form of the Optio A10 is attained through numerous refinements such as the highly textured aluminum alloy exterior, the 12-faceted accent lens ring, and the connector cover designed to blend in with the camera. While exuding a sense of style and sophistication, the design has not overlooked the camera’s grip or operability. The position of each control component has been optimized through operational tests and a Handing indentation has been added to the left side of the camera’s topside surface.

5. Intuitive Mode Palette

The Mode Palette, which lists various modes on the LCD monitor, lets you quickly and expertly navigate through and select from the 15 shooting modes and 15 playback modes. And by using the translucent through display, which superimposes mode icons over the LCD monitor image, changing settings while framing the subject could not be easier.

6. Auto Picture Mode

The Auto Picture Mode makes taking photos even easier and even more fun. Selecting the Auto Picture Mode from the shooting Mode Palette has the camera automatically select the mode from Portrait, Landscape, Night Scene, or Standard according to the shooting conditions.

7. High-quality movie mode with long recording times

The Optio A10 smoothly captures movies at 30 fps (frames per second) at sizes up to 640x480 pixels with image quality rivaling camcorders. Since it employs the DivX® MPEG-4 movie format,*3 the Optio A10 can record longer, high-quality movies. Camera shake can also be corrected automatically by switching on the Movie anti-Shake feature.*4
*3 The Optio A10 is DivX® certified. Movie playback is not supported on Macintosh operating systems.
*4 Using the Movie anti-Shake feature results in a narrower field of view than normal.

8. High-definition, easy-to-view LCD monitor

Despite its slimness, the Optio A10 manages to fit in a large, 2.5-inch LCD monitor with the clarity of approximately 232,000 pixels. The monitor is easy to see even in bright locations because of its backlight and low-reflection type. All of this means it is easier to navigate menus, make settings, and compose shots as well as to display crisper, more beautiful images.

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